### Fast-Tracked Judicial Reform Passed in Baja California Sur Congress
In an expedited process, the State Congress of Baja California Sur (BCS) has swiftly approved a judicial reform with 19 votes in favor and two against, mere hours after the Senate of the Republic gave its consent. The XVII Legislative Assembly of Baja California Sur became the fifth in the country to endorse the reform proposed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during a hastily convened extraordinary session.
Amid protests from workers of the Federal Judicial Power (PJF), who implored legislators to reject the proposal, only Guadalupe Saldaña Cisneros of the National Action Party (PAN) and Fabrizio del Castillo Miranda of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) voted against it. The reform was pushed through by a coalition consisting of Morena, the Labor Party (PT), the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), and New Alliance, who collectively hold 19 seats in the assembly.
The legislative process, which involved creating the decree, reading it, and discussing it, took only four hours to complete. Cries of “Traitors, traitors” filled the chamber from protesting PJF workers defending the judiciary’s autonomy and independence.
PAN legislator Guadalupe Saldaña criticized the rushed process, revealing that she was informed just minutes before the extraordinary session began. “People need to stay vigilant and get involved. A judicial reform is needed, but it should be one that works, not this farce. They claim you’ll be able to elect judges, but only from a list provided by Morena,” Saldaña argued.
The PJF representatives assert that the reform threatens the judiciary’s autonomy, accusing López Obrador of trying to subordinate the only counterbalance to his administration. They highlight significant concerns over the election of judges, magistrates, and ministers through popular vote and the elimination of the judicial career path.
“We need an autonomous Judicial Power. Why this reform? It’s a vendetta against the judiciary, the only branch that has ordered the president to vaccinate children or provide chemotherapy to children with cancer, and the only one that told him to stop deforesting the Mayan jungle,” Saldaña concluded.
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### Supplementary Article:
#### Wider Repercussions of Judicial Reforms Across Mexico
The controversial judicial reforms promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have sparked debates and protests across multiple states beyond Baja California Sur. In states like Jalisco, Guanajuato, and Mexico City, similar legislation has faced both support and opposition, illuminating a national divide over the judiciary’s future.
In Jalisco, the local congress raced against time to approve the reform amidst intense public demonstrations. Critics argue that the reform compromises judicial independence, making judges vulnerable to political pressure.
Guanajuato also saw significant political friction, with its congress narrowly passing the reform amid vehement opposition. Legal analysts there have expressed grave concerns regarding the implications for judicial accountability and the long-term health of democracy in the state.
In Mexico City, where political activity is most heightened, several judges and legal experts have taken to public forums and social media to discuss the potential risks posed by the reform. Concerns are mounting that the reforms could lead to an erosion of legal safeguards and an increase in politicized judiciary appointments.
As the policy continues to ripple through state legislatures, it becomes clear that the issue will remain a contentious one, highlighting the tension between efforts to modernize and democratize judicial appointment processes and the imperative to maintain an independent judiciary capable of holding other branches of government accountable.